At the towel dispensary you simply swipe your wrist band and the attendant will hand you the number of towels you request. Great Wolf Lodge has an outdoor ropes course and indoor arcade. Poconos Waterparks: How to Get the Best Deals at Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Aquatopia! She has reported on several high-profile stories during her career at KSAT and specializes in trending news and things to do around Texas and San Antonio. Both waterparks are easily accessible from the lobby, and the dining and shops are also centered around there. (Healthy, I know.) Once again, the food was mediocre at best. Enjoy your family vacation at one of the great indoor water park resort choices in your area! The short of it about the same as Great Wolf Lodge and FAR less than Kalahari! A general view of the Great Wolf Lodge in Fort Mackenzie. There is one primary restaurant on the main level on the left side of the lobby / front entrance. It is in the middle in terms of the size of its indoor water park and in number of rooms at the resort. We like archaeology and the lost river archaeology theme was interesting and well done. You can use the water park at 1pm on the day of check in until close on the day you leave. The water park @ Kalahari is HUGE. Kalahari and Wilderness are kind of overwhelming. Life jackets are not required but are available as well as puddle jumpers. After the meal there are plenty of places like the pastry shop, coffee shop or ice cream shop that have many enticing desserts for the children. One of Melani and my pet peeves with regards to hotel accommodations is when there is only one night stand for a queen bed. It was, however, small. The company owns and operates its family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge brand. Tom Foolery's Adventure Park provides hours of playtime, with 80,000 square feet of interactive rides and attractions. Age and height requirements vary by location. Great Wolf Lodgeis the best for younger kids because it has the most charm and does a better job of theme ing with its characters throughout the entire experience (lodging, dining & water park) compared to either Aquatopia or Kalahari. You all have multi room suites as well as an African Queen Suite.Let's talk about the African Queen Suite for a moment. The Poconos location has 401 rooms and each wing of the lodge has 4 floors. Kids jumping in and out, the areas are not guarded by staffsame problem as Great Wolf. My sister, who was also staying at this resort had the African Queen suite and there was PLENTY of room for all of us if they would have moved us. Which is better for his age? Kalahari Resort's water park has more of everything and also includes a Flowrider, which is popular with older kids and teens. Welcome to Great Wolf Lodge! 2) With COVID still hanging around and the holidays right around the corner it seemed to be prudent. Ronks is southeast of Lancaster. We may also participate in other affiliate programs from time-to-time and be compensated for referring traffic & business to these companies. The place is ENORMOUS and although it's extremely busy and pretty crowded most of the time, there is plenty of seating in the waterpark. EXPECT IT and you will have a great time. The new Italian restaurant had a nice design and the food was good. We ordered a pizza and had it delivered to the room from the in-house Pizza Pubit was quite good and we felt reasonably priced! The lobby at Aquatopia is more spacious than the lobby at Great Wolf Lodge but far smaller than the lobby at Kalahari. For the size of the main lobby, it is the same order with Great Wolf Lodges lobby being the smallest, Kalaharis main lobby being the largest and Aquatopias lobby size somewhere in the middle. Both are reasonable attempts at having a meal on the healthier side. They did a fabulous job with the design of this place. As I indicated above I should not have been charged a fee for parking since we did not leave a vehicle at the resort and were dropped off. Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. For just one four-year-old, I think Great Wolf is probably a better choice. Located below the main lobby is both the entrance to the water park and the arcade. This is another thing that I think Kalahari does well and it makes it a little easier to satisfy everyone and their differing tastes with so many food choices. Here's our overall review.Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. Kalahari is amaizing! The bartenders were great, DAVID and ROBIN especially. Both resorts are well-themed throughout the resort rooms and the water parks. Water park temperatures at all three Poconos water parks is the same @ 84 degrees, year-round. Great Wolf seems to have more of a variety of theming for these bunk bed suites. If I was ever to get a weekend alone with my wife we would go to Kalahari since there are more amenities and it is not so kid-centric. Choosing which resort to bring your family to can be daunting as both resorts offer very similar attractions and amenities. The balcony/patio was laughable. Blessed father of 4 wonderful children & trophy husband to 1 lovely wife. Im not sure when we will make it back there since we have a lot of other travel plans. Thank you! I've been on trip advisor for years, but have never felt the need to leave a review until now. The suite had an interesting layout, but who could enjoy it when you were struggling not to vomit. It features the Howlin' Tornado raft ride, Coyote Cannon water tubes (with a 40-foot drop), and a tree house fort that has a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket! The Poconos location has 401 rooms and each wing of the lodge has 4 floors. Much more concise! There are a number of other activities available at the lodge. Both resorts have normal hotel rooms as well as themed rooms. We went for the Italian the second night and the food was again wonderful. We stayed in the Desert room which was sufficient in size for 2 adults and 2 small kids. I would request a higher floor again because the 2nd floor gets all of the foot traffic as that is the lobby floor and the waterpark and arcade are on the lower 1st floor.Take a minute to just look around and notice the dcor, architecture, and design. Try getting on the email lists of both of these resorts to learn about the discounts they offer throughout the year. Have you been to both Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari Resort? When we go to one of the three water parks in the Poconos we are usually going for water park & swimming fun so other activities are not our primary focus. I actually have a hard time believing that the square footage of the park is larger than the water park @ Great Wolf Lodge. We visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. Take care! Let's talk about the Royal Hospitality Suite at Kalahari Pocono. Both resorts have huge water parks and other indoor activities. The side-lite mirror was a nice feature that we enjoyed. Many of these water parks are resorts, meaning they also comparison guide for all three of these resorts, Lindt Chocolate Factory Outlet Carlisle, PA. In November 2020, a competitor to GWL opened in Texas. Kalahari is newer and more efficiently run. What are you waiting for? Its Manageable Size Is Perfect for Younger Kids The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark It's true: Kalahari is the biggest indoor water park in the country and Camelback has almost 50,000 square feet on Kartrite. My husband was brave enough to continue exploring as I sat out on the ground level patio. Hi there! After learning about the aspects of both of these resort, which one will your family choose? Great Wolf Lodge also has a small bowling ally, gem mining, outdoor ropes course, arcade, and glow golf. It can be more expensive but it's a better place to relax and see your kids enjoying without having to worry too much. Why Kids Love It Thankfully, we didnt have a 2+ hour line to check-in. We did really like the lazy river at Aquatopia. I found the photos pleasing to look at and relaxing! On our previous visit a couple of years ago we felt the place was showing some wear and tear. I love the theming of GWL and my kids are obsessed with Magi Quest, but the adults only things at Kalahari cant be beat! Im pleased to hear that you enjoyed the various sections of the waterpark. It had a pretty good selection of desserts and chocolates. Water park access was included. This is probably the one area that Aquatopia beats both Great Wolf Lodge & Kalahari. It is a wonderful family vacation spot that offers a lot of adventure & nature! It is always wonderful to receive complements on our dcor as we want our guests to have as authentic an experience as possible. They were methodical and intense, and I just didn't get that feeling with many of the lifeguard staff here. Kalaharis water park does the same, except with a jungle theme. Snow tubing in PA requires no special skills or equipment and is appropriate for almost everyone. Since our last visit to Great Wolf Lodge they have established a relationship with Dunkin Donuts and there is one located on the main floor just off the right of the lobby. CEO approval 75 % approve of John Murphy (Murph)'s performance 74 % approve of Todd Nelson's performance Salary satisfaction 49 % think they are paid fairly at Great Wolf Lodge 40 % My daughter walks with a medical device. Berrellis Italian Chophouse wasnt really an option for us as this restaurant is physically located in a different building from where we were staying & where the indoor water park is located. DreamWorks Water Park - East Rutherford, New Jersey. If you can't afford it, don't bother making the trip. But we generally dont patronize too many sit down restaurants with 4 kids with ages ranging from 2-10. As part of the U.S.' largest group of family-friendly water parks, this indoor water park has perfected how to maximize family fun for all ages. Kalahari Resort, located in Round Rock, Texas, is similar in many ways to Great Wolf Lodge. Unfortunately, the kids loaded up on an assortment of dessert and we went back to the room to change back into our swimwear for a last hurrah in the water.Off the lobby there are also a sweets shop, bakery, and ice cream shop, with what appears to be a nice selection of goodies.The next morning, the kids wanted to get in a few hours at the waterpark before our 11:00 checkout. Some of the profit from any sale may merely make it intoourpocket instead of Jeff Bezos'! CLICK HERE TO VIEW VARIOUS CREDIT CARDS AND AVAILABLE SIGN-UP BONUSES, New Private Luxury Facility Coming to DFW, Virgin Atlantic Makes it Official and More, March Transfer Bonuses: Marriott, Avianca, Virgin Red, Royal Caribbean Quietly Reduces Housekeeping to Once per Day, Hyatt Announces 2023 Hotel Category Changes, Easy: Changing AAdvantage Award flight via Twitter DM. Especially around the holidays, it has a warm and fuzzy fireplace vibe. Clean, safe & staff so friendly! We say this because Aquatopia has the most activities (rock wall, laser tag, escape room, etc) at its resort that will likely appeal to pre-teens and early teens. And with new locations in Arizona and Illinois, Great Wolf Lodges are becoming easier to reach wherever . We stored our bags with the assistance of bell staff and we went downstairs to check out the facilities.We had to go through a large (and very noisy) arcade to get to the turnstiles to the waterpark. GWL isnt fast either, but 2+ hours to pay triple the price wouldnt work either. This is an interactive game that has players moving throughout the Lodge on quests. There was a large selection, with an emphasis on Italian cuisine. When I checked out on the 25th I asked for a receipt, and the amount I was charged was correct ($390.10) When I received my credit card statement on December 9th I noticed that what I was charged from Aquatopia/Camelback was $25 higher than it should have been. Thanks to Amanda at the front desk for helping facilitate this! Klahari is themed and decorated as an African resort. I also added a note how COVID-19 has delayed our plans to stay @ Aquatopia. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Throughout the day those areas were also closed several times for about 15 min at a time for cleaning since the kids were pooping and vomiting in the water. It felt like you were rubbing shoulders with other people all the time. Keep in mind theres a third indoor water park resort in the Poconos: Camelback Mountain Resort. They contain a variety of aquatic activities such as water slides, swimming pools, wave pools, lazy rivers, and splash pads. It is also something that Kalahari does well . It may come down to a simple question: How old are the children in your party? With Kalahari Careers, you become part of our dedicated team at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions. Overall, my family prefers Kalahari Resort. Welcome to Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Round Rock 223,000 square feet, filled with wet, wild, fun. Winner: Kalahari Resort Rooms Both resorts have "normal" hotel rooms as well as themed rooms. It is the smallest of the 3 indoor water parks in the Poconos, Pennsylvania. Waterpark admission included with your stay! The total cost for the night would have been $415.10. While the hallways of rooms may still be a bit long, its not as vast as Kalahari. We ordered a burrito, nachos grande, chicken fingers, fries and onion rings from a predictable and acceptable selection of menu items. We are still having a debate on what it actually was. Several hot tubs, twice the amount of slides as Great Wolf Lodge, and something for all ages. So we decided to check it out and see how things had changed. Im guessing the youngest of your children voted for GWL? I'm going to breakdown each part of the resort that we visited and give you the key points: (especially Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge) If you were to drive from Kalahari, to Great Wolf Lodge, and then to Aquatopia the total distance would be approximately 11.3 miles and take just 26 minutes. Seriously, this place is awesome! Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine is a great way to go for a weekend getaway. Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Naturally, the hotel offers an indoor water park, plus character meet-and-greet experiences, live entertainment, an arcade, ropes course, bowling alley, mini-golf course and spas (one for kids and one for adults). Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine has one adults-only hot tub. Ax throwing, ropes course, zip line, off-road Segway tours through the forest & switchback UTV tour. Kalahari has one indoor and one outdoor area - both are huge (Kalahari's is one of the largest indoors in the US). There is an indoor rock wall, laser tag, and indoor ropes course, etc. There was also only one sink in the room (as well as only one bathroom which had only a standard sized tub). Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains packs in all the family fun under one roof. Kalahari Resort has an entire grotto (both indoor and outdoor) for adults with a swim-up bar. Great Wolf Resorts told KPRC in a statement, Were always looking for opportunities to introduce the Great Wolf Lodge resort experience to new audiences, and we are excited about the prospect of bringing one of our family-friendly indoor water park resorts to southeastern Texas.. Has a fun magic quest as an additional . To the credit of one observant & kind employee he noticed the exceedingly poor service my wife had received and apologized to her later in the day when he saw her. We recently made a trip to the Poconos in Pennsylvania to visit a water park resort but didnt know which resort we should go to so we went to all 3 of them! Each lane allows for up to six bowlers at a time. The drive was almost exactly 100 miles for us and we arrived a few minutes after 1:00 pm. Here is a quick breakdown of the outdoor activities offered at each resort: Kalahari: Monkey climb ropes course, zip lines and mini golf. Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? From what we saw of the pricing most of the activities were on the more expensive side. We didn't expect gourmet food at a waterpark, but the nachos were so tasteless that my 12-year old pushed them aside and asked for a chicken finger. We did not rent any of the cabanas that were located throughout. TripAdvisor review of Great Wolf Lodge Poconos, TripAdvisor review of Kalahari Resort Poconos, Booking.com review of Great Wolf Lodge Poconos, MommyNearest Great Wolf Lodge vs Kalahari vs Camelback. The NACHOS did not disappoint. I am on the mailing list and recently got a promotional offer that indicated the rooms had recently been renovated. Thank you for reading & for your comment / question! If you want averykid-centricexperience from top to bottom we would recommendGreat Wolf Lodge. We do love both! We appreciate it! Kalahari was definitely newer and nicer but also more expensive. Hopefully you can keep returning and finding even more ways to have fun with us as the kids grow. The development is expected to break ground during. Aquatopia offers a great selection of activities for tweens & younger teens, both inside & outside! Wet bar, fridge, microwaveIMPRESSED with the upkeep.WATERPARK - The place is absolutely huge. Water park access was included. At that point, it was unmistakably the smell of cat urine. This seems to be an archaeology /exploration theme that they incorporate to water park. We stayed from Tuesday through Thursday during July. (assuming same accommodations we had for this past trip) and this is how they all answered. Hopefully you can come again soon but until then, take care! However, each locations water parks and amenities vary. Aquatopia at Camelback Lodge in Pennsylvania is 125,000 square feet. Weve stayed at GWL Williamsburg and Kalahari in the Poconos. Check there and compare prices with their website to find the lowest prices for your stay. However, there were at least 6 employees assisting at the registration desk and the line moved relatively quickly. Park access for all family members is included in . To the left of the lobby is almost exclusively devoted to games and activities for kids really tweens & teens. However, if our kids were younger, Great Wolf Lodge would be more manageable due to its smaller size and its mascots that appeal to younger kids. Staff always pleasant and friendly!FOOD - There is food available in the waterpark in addition to a steakhouse and Italian restaurant. Kalahari and Chula Vista - now that the "Flyin Mayan" ride is back - are also. This is probably a reflection of the fact that Kalahari is really a convention center first & foremost and the water park is just one of the many amenities they offer albeit a big one! Contemporary and tasteful.we give that an A+!Overall, we can't wait to return to Kalahari! Kalahari Resort has a huge upcharge for the one type of themed room. Nothing? "The advent of Great Wolf Lodge represents one of the most monumental accomplishments in the City's history," Webster city officials said. The splash park or toddler area of the water park was rather small. Great Wolf Lodge is known for their MagiQuest game. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Is the higher food price of Kalahari worth it? I will note as a previous reviewer did that Great Wolf Lodge had SPECTACULAR lifeguards. Kalahari has the largest indoorwater park of the 3, and is the largestresortlocated in the Poconos. Thank you for your feedback. Chip, I am planning to go to waterpark with three kids, so I really enjoyed all details! In my mind, Kalahari works best if you have a family with kids of different ages so each can be active. There was also a buffet which was closed but other little caf options for grab and go type food, a coffee bar, ice cream stand, bakery.they forgot nothing!We felt like we needed more than one night so we asked to extend our stay another night and we were given a great rate to stay in our upgraded room so we jumped on the deal. All three resorts are really good choices for water park fun with a family. But the resort's smaller size makes it easier to keep an eye on the kids. Its a tough call. You might prefer the chart we put together along with our conclusions. Please email me directly at PAConnect@kalahariresorts.com. lindakmonty He's like "OH NO YOU DIDN'T" Joined Jun 24, 2005 Jun 30, 2006 #7 We also enjoyed the balcony. Our suite was located on the same level as the entrance to the water park which was below the main level. The Kalahari Resort is well appointed, nicely decorated, and the facilities are well maintained. Confusingly enough she was allowed to go on the small kids slides that were inside the waterpark. Finding fun places to take your kids in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia. Why do the adults with hearing damage always make the decisions with regards to volume level! Our Dallas, TX resort offers an 80,000-square-foot indoor water park and exciting land attractions for the entire family. There was a microwave and mini-fridge in the room, which came in handy. Hello, Erika! Every room at this resort is air conditioned and has a TV with cable channels. Great Wolf Lodge has an especially fun indoor water park and the "under one roof" makes the stay warm and easy. Thank you for taking the time to comment! That makes it easy for families traveling with toddlers (and their little legs!). But be prepared to spend.it comes with the territory! Also, Outdoor pool and some small outdoor water slides (all seasonal). For example when booking your accommodations you can select a themed suite, such as the KidCabin Suite which we did. In particular, it felt narrow. We did not have a car on the premises so driving was not an option, and walking was not very appealing since we tend to patronize the indoor water parks during the colder months and it was late November when we were at Aquatopia. Great Wolf Lodge's water park is 80,000 square feet, but Kalahari's is over 220,000 square feet. Shooting Range (tourist favorite) is closer to Great Wolf. It was a nice touch to have the lodge theme and a couple of characters at the front of the wave pool which is one of our favorite attractions. So I guess you just dont need it that much. Speaking of loud There is usually a dance party in the evening which we found to be extremely loud! but also read water is cold. We can engage in many of the other activities closer to our home (and probably at less expense). Kassie R, Social Media Coordinator at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos, responded to this review. From the accommodation standpoint it was a much more memorable stay! Hey, thanks for the great reviews! Better selection of local foods near Great Wolf. Would have been nice to have them inside as well.The waterpark overall was phenomenal - huge and definitely accommodates young and old. Second, certain areas of the waterpark, especially the hot tubs, the wave pool and small kids areas were overcrowded. We feature kid-friendly activities, a range of dining options, interactive games, an adult-friendly wine down service, and more all under one roof. You can reach me at PAConnect@KalahariResorts.com. (Remember that Kalahari is actually a desert in southern Africa.) But, my kids are little fish who love swimming, and they cant get enough of this type of resort. The setting for them seems nicer, and they seem more elaborate than the ropes course offered @ Great Wolf Lodge. Location: 1 Great Wolf Drive, Scotrun, PA. Kalahari Resorts water park has more of everything and also includes a Flowrider, which is popular with older kids and teens. Sincerely, Chip. So if you are looking for a martini, you will have to hit one of the restaurants. We simply love everything about it! Camelback Mountain Resorts waterpark Aquatopia, Cafe & Bar (AKA, Mountain Market, World Bazaar Coffee Shop). Both resorts have also utilized Groupon for deals. The wolf mascots host a nightly dance party and pj story time. The Great Wolf Lodge resort in the Poconos was constructed in 2005 and is one of roughly 19 locations for the chain. Lock in the lowest price from these sites. The development is expected to break ground during the first quarter of 2022 and construction of the facility will begin no later than April 2025, according to KPRC. We stayed @ Great Wolf Lodge on a Tuesday night and then Kalahari on Wednesday night of the same week. We went to all three water parks in the Poconos (Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Aquatopia) to find out which one is the BEST water park. Poconos Waterpark Comparison Guide: Kalahari versus Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge! Kids hearing is much more sensitive! Great Wolf Lodge. CHECK IN/ROOM - We checked in with Kassi atWe visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. The Lobby is one of the things I, and everyone in my family, really liked about Kalahari! Wisconsin Dells, WI https://www.greatwolf.com/wisconsin-dells In our opinion, the splash park at Aquatopia was the weakest of the three. CamelBack (Aquatopia) has 453 rooms and there are 6 floors (above ground) to the lodge. On the lower level by the entrance for the water park, there is a pizza place with some tables in the lower lobby area. Kalahari Resort has an African safari theme. They also enjoyed the Wiley & Friends video stories that you can find on one of the dedicated TV channels. Recently, my family visited Kalahari Resort for the first time. Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. The kids had a blast, and I think with some minor changes, this place will exceed 5 stars. It is so fun for my children (12 & 4 years old) and for adults too!! Just bundle up and head for the hillsdon't forget your gloves and boots! Kassi was terrific! However, we felt $26 for chicken parm was a little steep. The rides for the kids are great, it is an entired water playground for toddlers with amazing water slides! I felt the prices were reasonable for this type of American Pub food. This post will focus on the Leola New York City and upstate New York are close to many amazing indoor water parks. One is about 13 minutes long and is about Brinley Bears fun day and the other is about 8 minutes long and is about the origin of Great Wolf Lodge. Each play area includes slides and swings. The building must be completed within three years. Kalahari did a remodel on their indoor kid area about a year ago. Kalahari vs Great Wolf Lodge is often a topic debated by indoor water park visitors. Get those lifeguards a little more focused and offer more options at the bars! I will say we were on the 7th floor..and it was perfectly quiet. (Activities vary by location). The hot tub situation was disappointing. We had no real negatives about Great Wolf but in all honesty, Kalahari Resort surpasses them on almost all levels, but to no fault of Great Wolf. Kalahari Resort, positioned in Spherical Rock, Texas, is analogous in some ways to Nice Wolf Lodge. In addition to the arcade, there are six amusement park rides, including the Screamn Centipede roller coaster with 360-degree rotating cart. At times Kalahari actually felt a littletoo bigfor us. Although I am admittedly not a big fan of buffets, we figured it would be easy for everyone to find something they liked.